This edition was prepared by Ian Haslam — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Beauty sat bathing by a spring
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Beauty sat bathing by a spring by Ernest John Moeran — Lyrics
Beauty sat bathing by a spring,
Where fairest shades did hide her;
The winds blew calm, the birds did sing,
The cool streams ran beside her.
My wanton thoughts enticed mine eye
To see what was forbidden:
But better memory said Fie;
So vain desire was chidden—
Hey nonny nonny O!
Hey nonny nonny!
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About Beauty sat bathing by a spring
Ernest John Moeran's Beauty sat bathing by a spring is a delightful SATB setting of an English text. This secular partsong, ideal for a light-hearted moment in a concert programme, captures the pastoral scene of Beauty at her bath. The poem describes a moment of temptation and fleeting, dreamlike fancy, where the narrator's thoughts are drawn to the forbidden, only to be chastened by conscience. The music reflects the gentle atmosphere of the setting and the poet's eventual, perhaps resigned, awakening, finding no more wisdom than before. It's a charming example of English songwriting, perfect for an a cappella choir seeking evocative and engaging repertoire.
